One of the things I've really been enjoying lately is adding fresh herbs to my summer cooking. Herbs can take the flavor of any dish to the next level! They also marry well with a lot of the summer fruits and vegetables that you are probably already enjoying (think: tomatoes, peaches, grilled summer squash/eggplant, watermelon, etc.). Try out these fun ideas for using fresh herbs. What fresh herbs do you enjoy cooking with?

1-Mint

• Lemony Mint Salad Dressing: Chop mint and add to 1 part lemon juice and 2 parts olive oil. Whisk all ingredients to combine and add salt and pepper to taste for a light and refreshing summer salad dressing!

• Mint and Watermelon Salad: Chop mint into ribbons and toss gently with cubed watermelon, chopped roasted almonds and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Chill in the fridge and drizzle with olive oil before serving.

2-Cilantro

• Add cilantro to salsas: try cilantro in tomato based or fruit salsas, like this fresh Peach Salsa. You are sure to love this on grilled chicken or fish or with your favorite tortilla chips.

• Chimichuri Sauce: If you have never tried this, you are missing out! Spoon this zesty sauce over grilled vegetables, steak, or lamb chops, or even grilled chicken. A simple recipe is to blend: 1 cup cilantro, 1 clove of garlic, 1 small/medium jalapeno, the juice from 1 lime, ¼ C olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Adjust the seasonings to your preference, but this is a great start!

3-Basil

• Basil Pesto: Yes, pesto is still one of my favorite uses for fresh basil! Check out our Eat Local Basil pesto recipe coming soon: http://ucanr.edu/sites/EatLocalPlacerNevada/Recipes/

           or stop by the Mill St. Farmers' market on July 18^th for a chance to make and taste “bike-powered” pesto!

• Pump up the flavor: Add basil at the end of cooking to simple sautés like this Summer Squash Saute or substitute basil for mint in the “Lemony Mint Salad Dressing” above and toss with chopped, fresh cucumber and tomatoes.